How to Establish if You Have Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is an illness that causes abnormal heart rhythms and increases heart rate. Occurrences of atrial fibrillation can be intermittent or continuous. Although A-fib is rarely fatal, it is a severe medical condition requiring prompt treatment to avoid a stroke. Read on to know more about Upper East Side atrial fibrillation and become familiar with some vital early symptoms.

Common symptoms of AFib

Overall fatigue

Generalized tiredness is one of the first symptoms of a heart condition. However, because this is a sign of so many other issues, such as insomnia, a mild cold, or stress, those suffering from severe fatigue may fail to recognize the link right away.

Abnormal heartbeat

Have you ever felt as if your heart skipped a beat or two? It is a relatively rare occurrence that can cause concern for most people, which subsides when the condition resolves. It is, however, a daily struggle for those suffering from AFib. The main symptom of it is a quivering or twitching heartbeat. Technically, it is caused by an abnormal firing of electrical impulses in the atria, which causes the heart’s upper chambers to move abnormally.

Dizziness

People suffering from serious heart conditions frequently report feeling dizzy. Dizziness usually goes away after a few minutes. If it does not, you should contact your doctor right away. This could indicate AFib or another heart condition affecting the brain circulation of blood, causing you to feel disoriented and dizzy.

Types-

It can be:

1.     Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation – This type can strike at any time and for no apparent reason, with symptoms lasting hours or even minutes. It lasts about a week, and the episodes usually end independently. The symptoms can appear at any time and include palpitations, shortness of breath, anxiety, fatigue, and weakness that advance quickly. A frequent adverse effect of this type of it is physical tiredness.
2.     Persistent – The heart rhythm does not return to normal with this type of atrial fibrillation. If you experience A-fib symptoms, cardioversion or medication diagnosis may be used to restore a normal heart rhythm.
3.     Long-standing and persistent atrial fibrillation – This type of atrial fibrillation is ongoing and lasts for more than a year.
4.     Permanent – The abnormal heart rhythm cannot be restored in this type of atrial fibrillation. Medications are required to keep the heart rate under regulation and prevent blood clots.

Factors that contribute to atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is an illness in which the atria (the two upper chambers of the heart) beat irregularly and out of time with the ventricles (the two lower chambers). It is more common in older people, but it affects many younger people.It can also be passed down through families. Other risk factors for atrial fibrillation include hypertension, chronic conditions, and heart problems like heart disease and abnormal heart valves.

Some individuals who have this have no symptoms at all. This is referred to as asymptomatic, and it is most likely to be discovered during a regular checkup. Call Upper Eastside Cardiology or schedule an appointment to learn more.